The APA Assembly was held on the weekend of November 22–23, 2025, with several modifications to its usual format, largely driven by cost considerations. Reference committee meetings were conducted virtually before the in-person Assembly meeting while schedule of Assembly was shortened, beginning Saturday afternoon and concluding late Sunday morning after final plenary sessions and reference committee reports. Assembly floor operations were also altered, including reliance on individual Zoom displays rather than projected screens. Members of the Assembly are to provide feedback on these changes, which will be communicated to the Board of Trustees and APA leadership (As an update by the time of this writing, Area 6-California members have already met and shared their feedback/experience of these changes).

Despite these operational adjustments, the Assembly continued to provide meaningful opportunities for engagement with colleagues from my district branch, Area 6, and across the country. Discussions addressed proposed actions, strategic plans, internal operations, financial reports and national advocacy efforts. A topic of significant discussion was the phrase from the CEO/CMO’s presentation— “advocacy, not activism”— prompting reflection on the framing, scope, and future direction of APA advocacy.

We also learned about an advocacy competition which was also highlighted during the meeting, recognizing impressive engagement and advocacy efforts of these members. To my knowledge, this opportunity had not been widely publicized, including within our own district branch. I shared this observation with leadership and recommended broader communication to encourage participation and recognition of members and DB’s already actively involved in advocacy efforts, such as our own NCPS.

In addition to formal sessions, informal interactions added personal and collegial value to the experience. I appreciated time with NCPS and Area 6 colleagues, including taking walks together during brief breaks and appreciating the changing fall colors in Chantilly, Virginia. 

Aside from the demands of a long flight, overall, the Assembly remained a productive and meaningful experience focused on important work for our profession, our patients, and our communities. As a final update, the action paper I authored: “Improving clarity and feasibility of the ABPN MOC process” was endorsed by the reference committee and approved to move forward to the Joint Reference Committee (JRC).

Next APA Assembly is scheduled for May 2026 (15-17) which will be held in San Francisco, CA ahead of & in concurrence with initial part of APA Annual Meeting.

Click here to download a pdf of the full Assembly Meeting notes.